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WWII Aircraft Gather Near Houston to Honor Veterans

On Saturday June 18, 2016, four WWII aircraft gathered at the Hooks Airport in Spring, Texas to honor five WWII veterans.

The veterans honored all flew combat missions over Europe. Those honored were: R.B. Kelley of Montgomery, Texas, a ball turret gunner who flew 35 missions, William “Bill” Toombs, Sr. of Little Rock, Arkansas, a flight engineer who flew 28 missions, Perry Kerr, of Three Rivers, Texas, a nose turret gunner who flew 11 missions, Dale Bottoms from Beaumont, Texas, who flew 30 missions as a flight engineer and Jesse Jacobs, of Los Cruces, New Mexico, who saw combat in WWII and Korea and later flew as a test pilot.

Flying in for the ceremony was the Commemorative Air Force’s (CAF) B-17 Flying Fortress “Texas Raiders”, one of the most accurately restored B-17’s still in flying condition. The bomber will be joined by three WWII trainer planes, an AT-6 Texan, a BT-13 Valiant and an N3N bi-plane.

The aircraft will remain at the airport until Sunday June 19. Cockpit tours of the aircraft are available for $10 for adults, $5 for children or $20 for a family of up to five members. WWII veterans and active duty with military ID will be admitted free. Attendees can reserve 25-minute flights on the aircraft for $195 on the trainer planes and $475 for the B-17 Flying Fortress.